In this episode, we get to meet Henry Hall. Henry is a musician and actor from LA, whose new album, Stop Doing Funny Stuff, is out now. (That didn't stop me from screwing up the title of it TWICE, but, I digress.) In this chat, Henry and I discuss the record and its myriad of influences and styles. We talk inspiration - both lyrically and musically - of folks as eclectic as Patsy Cline, Morrissey, and Jens Lekman. We also touch on his comedy lineage, as Henry is the son of comedy legends...

In this chat, we get to meet My Brightest Diamond - aka: Shara Nova. I got to speak with Shara surrounding the release of her newest MBD record, called Fight the Real Terror. In this discussion, she and I go deep into this album - its themes, its stark minimalism, and its conception, which was borne largely by the loss of the great Sinead O'Connor. Shara had a deep affinity for Sinead's work both musically and politically, and I speak with her about how Sinead's voice (and I mean that in all...

In this episode, we get to meet Icelandic singer-songwriter, Emilíana Torrini. Torrini has been releasing music for quite some time, debuting in the 90s, but has just released a totally bewitching new album this past June called Miss Flower. The story of this record is so rich and layered and surprising, it makes sense that she and I mostly use this chat as an excuse to take a deep dive into its world. Miss Flower, the character of this album (because it is, indeed, a story album), was based...

In this chat, we get to meet Phosphorescent - aka: singer, songwriter, guitarist Matthew Houck. Matthew's been at the game for a while now, and we caught up to chat about his newest Phosphorescent record, Revelator, which came out back in the spring. Truthfully, this chat was done around then, too, but kept getting pushed and delayed in posting. So here we are! Huzzah! It's a lovely chat, well worth the wait, as we dive into all things Revelator, including its themes, production, songwriting,...

In this episode, we meet pop auteur/singer-songwriter Kate Nash. Kate Nash has just released her brand new record - her first in a little bit - on Kill Rock Stars, entitled 9 Sad Symphonies. In this chat, Kate and I discuss her new record at length, especially what went into creating it and some of the underlying themes across its songs, such as mental health and wellness, depression, and love. We touch on her early material, such as her hit debut record Made of Bricks (which spawned...

In this chat, we get to meet Tracyanne Campbell, the frontwoman of celebrated Scottish indie rock icons Camera Obscura. Back with their first album in over a decade, Look To The East, Look To The West, Camera Obscura have a lot to say now that they're back on the scene, and effortlessly prove that their return was worth the wait. In this talk, lead singer & songwriter Tracyanne and I discuss the new album at lenght, including some of its themes, its musicality, its production, and what...

In this chat, we get to meet Canadian singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist, folk music icon, Loreena Mckennitt. In this conversation, Loreena and I dsicuss her new live recording The Road Back Home, which is out now on her own Quinlan Road label , and how she distinguishes it as a “field recording” more than a proper live album. We discuss touring during COVID, and the trials and tribulations of that, as well as her love of world traveling and how those travels have impacted her work...

In this chat, we get to meet Molly Drag. Molly Drag is the pseudonym of Montreal singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Michael Charles Hansford. In this talk, we dive deep into his brand new album, Mammoth, out now on I'm Into Life Records. But we also talk about...well, a lot of other things. Truthfully, this is quite a spontaneous and circuitous talk, because Michael and I have been following each other's work for a couple years now, and have chatted here and there before, making this...

In this chat, we get to meet Iron & Wine - aka: singer/songwriter/guitarist, and general indie folk icon, Sam Beam. Sam has just recently put out a brand new Iron & Wine record entitled Light Verse, so we do spend a good amount of time discussing this album. We touch on its themes of loss and acceptance, the time it took to make, and the collaborators he had on it - including none other than the legendary Fiona Apple. We also look back on his seminal 2nd record, Our Endless Numbered...

In this chat, we get to meet claire rousay. claire is best known as an ambient composer, crafting soundscapes with keys, found sounds, drone, and other experimental elements. But in this chat, she and I talk quite a bit about her brand new album sentiment, which is out now on Thrill Jockey, which includes much more singer-songwriter style material. Now, it's still a claire rousay record, and we discuss how she tried to keep a hold on her experimental spirit despite having more lyric- and...

In this chat, we get to meet Julia Holter. Julia is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and composer extraordinaire, who just put out a wondrous new record, Something in the Room She Moves. In this chat, Julia talk a lot about this new album, including the production, the songwriting, the stories, and the risks of these songs. We talk titles, the Beatles, performance, as well as her work in film scoring (such as her score for Never Rarely Sometimes Always), and more. It's a lovely...

In this episode, we get to meet El Perro Del Mar, AKA: Swedish singer, songwriter, musician, producer Sarah Assbring. In this chat, Sarah and I talk at length about her newest full-length EPDM record, Big Anonymous, out now on City Slang. It's been a while since the last one, and we had a lot to talk about. We talk about the dark and emotional (and very personal) themes on Big Anonymous, the ways in which her sound has (and hasn't) shifted over the years, her lyrical technique, and the ways...

In this episode, we get to meet Bonnie "Prince" Billy - aka Will Oldham. Will has had a great year in music, putting out one of his best records yet with Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You (by some counts his 21st record!) back in August. In this chat, Will and I discuss that album at length, including some of what went into and inspired it. We talk about his long history of selecting perfect singing partners and musical collaborators, and how important singing and voices are to him, and how...

In this chat, we get to meet singer-songwriter Jess Williamson. Jess put out her most recent album, Time Ain't Accidental, back in June. (It also happens to be her most acclaimed record yet.) And in this chat, we get to be a bit reflective as opposed to anticipatory. We talk about what the songs mean to her now in the wake vs. the lead-up, and how proud she is of this album. We talk about how her year has gone since then, including touring and the general reaction to these personal songs. We...

In this episode, we get to meet Jolie Laide, the new band fronted by acclaimed singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Jeff MacLeod. In this chat, Nina and Jeff and I discuss the makings of this debut record, which just came out this past November. We talk about how they met over 20 years ago, and how now felt like the time to join forces for a new creative project. We discuss the themes and moods of the album, including the desert-style landscapes they conjured...

In this episode, we get to meet Kevin Drew. Best known as the sort of de facto captain of indie rock superstars Broken Social Scene, Kevin has just put out his brand new solo album, Aging. In this chat, he and I discuss the album, and its myriad dark, deep, personal themes, as well as what led to its conception and its status as a very piano-led record (which isn't something we've previously associated much with his music). We touch upon Broken Social Scene, and their recent celebration of...

In this episode, we get to meet Joseph D'Agostino, the frontman and lead songwriter of indie rock outfit Empty Country. Previously known for his now-defunct band Cymbal Eat Guitars, D'Agostino's newest record as Empty Country - aptly titled Empty Country II - is out now, and it's a real treat of high-emotion, high-impact, literary songwriting. In this chat, Joe and I discuss his specific lens through which he shoots his songs and subjects, tracing a litany of fictional characters and their...

In this chat, we get to meet actor and writer Illeana Douglas. Illeana is best known for her film work, costarring in films as wide-ranging as Scorsese's Cape Fear, Gus Van Sant's To Die For, or (one of my personal favorites) Terry Zwigoff's Ghost World. In addition to her film and television, Illeana is also an accomplished writer and film historian, and she has just published her second book, entitled Connecticut in the Movies. In this chat, Illeana and I discuss a LOT about her new book,...

In this chat, we get to meet Marnie Stern. Marnie is a singer, songwriter, and electric guitar wizard, who's back after more than a decade-long absence with her fifth record, The Comeback Kid. In this chat, she and I talk a lot about this new album - the songwriting, the production - and what it felt like to get back into her specific style and groove after so long out of the studio. We also discuss what she was up to in the interim, which included having two children and also playing in the...

In this chat, we get to meet Lizzie Powell, the lead singer, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, general jack-of-all-trades of indie rock band Land of Talk. Lizzie and I get deep into the newest Land of Talk record, Performances, which is just out on Saddle Creek. We talk aboutart and creativity, their goals for this record (and beyond), weirdness in music, the almost-defiant attitude that drive a lot of their recent work, Twins Peaks, doggos, and more. We even get a little meta on...

In this chat, we get to meet acclaimed composer Matana Roberts. Best known for their work as a saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer in the world of avant garde and improvisational jazz, Matana Roberts has been making a name for themselves for quite a while. We met on the cusp of the release of the fifth chapter in their ongoing Coin Coin series -- Chapter 5: In the Garden. In this chat, Matana and I go long on this new album, and how it fits into the overall arc of Coin Coin, which sees...

MEET OUR MAKER IS ON PATREON! Go to patreon.com/meetourmakers to pledge and become a patron today. You'll get access to fun stuff, including exclusive moments from interviews and the chance to submit questions for future guests. Woo! In this chat, we get to meet the fantastic, storied filmmaker Sally Potter. The writer-director of such acclaimed and varied films such as Orlando and Ginger & Rosa, Sally is actually just now releasing her debut full-length album (!) which is called Pink...

MEET OUR MAKER IS NOW ON PATREON! Go to patreon.com/meetourmakers to pledge and become a patron today. You'll get access to fun stuff, including exclusive moments from interviews and the chance to submit questions for future guests. Woo! In this chat, we get to meet singer-songwriter Regina Spektor. In this chat, Regina and I talk a lot about her last album, Home Before and After, which incidentally had come out almost exactly a year prior to our conversation. In light of this, we discuss the...

MEET OUR MAKER IS NOW ON PATREON! Go to patreon.com/meetourmakers to pledge and become a patron today. You'll get access to fun stuff, including exclusive moments from interviews and the chance to submit questions for future guests. Woo! In this chat, we get to meet Oscar-nominated composer Emile Mosseri. Though best known for his film work, Emile is also a singer-songwriter, and has been for much of his life. He was in a band called The Dig for years prior to his career as a composer, and...